Baseball Bat
A catcher who could throw out a baserunner from his knees.
Jerry Harrington was an American professional baseball player whose career spanned six seasons, including four in Major League Baseball. He played the majority of his major league games at catcher, though he also appeared at first base and third base. Over 189 major league games with the Cincinnati Reds and Louisville Colonels, Harrington batted .227 with 60 runs, 151 hits, 19 doubles, six triples, three home runs, 73 RBIs, and eight stolen bases.
Lore & Background
Harrington began playing semi-professional baseball at age 16 with the Bonaparte, Iowa, team. Two years later, he joined the Creston, Iowa, club of the Iowa League. His professional career started in 1888 in the Central Interstate League, where he played for the Danville Browns, Davenport club, and Decatur club. In 1889, he continued in the same league with the Davenport Hawkeyes/Monmouth Browns. He made his major league debut on April 30, 1890, with the Cincinnati Reds. Lee Allen, author of The Cincinnati Reds, wrote that Harrington and fellow player Billy Rhines were two top prospects when they joined the Reds, although nearly unknown today. It was also said that Harrington could throw out a baserunner from his knees. In David L. Porter's Biographical Dictionary of American Sports: Q–Z, it was noted that Rhines, Harrington, and fellow Reds teammate Pete Browning received fines and suspensions because of misbehavior outside of baseball.
Reader's Guide
Harrington's career numbers show a .227 batting average over 189 major league games, with 60 runs, 151 hits, 19 doubles, six triples, three home runs, 73 RBIs, and eight stolen bases. He played primarily as a catcher but also filled in at first base and third base. His best season was 1891, when he appeared in 92 games and drove in 41 RBIs. His worst was 1893 with the Colonels, where he managed only four hits in 10 games. Harrington's ability to throw out baserunners from his knees was a notable skill, as recorded by Lee Allen. His career ended after the 1893 season, and he later worked as assistant chief of police in Keokuk until his death in 1913.
Did You Know?
- Jerry Harrington was born in Hamden, Ohio, on August 12, 1868.
- His father was the manager of the Keokuk, Iowa, baseball club in 1885.
- Harrington could throw out a baserunner from his knees, according to Lee Allen's book.
- He was killed at age 44 when struck in the head with a beer can by a man described as a 'thug.'
- Harrington is buried at Oakland Cemetery in Keokuk, Iowa.
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